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Last week, I wrote a piece about David Herr, an engineer who followed the ultimate foodie dream and pursued a second career as a chef. Oddly enough, I subsequently discovered that the bartending industry is currently seeing a major spike in new employees and trainees. Over the last few months, bartending schools have seen a 20-25% growth in enrollment, as traditional jobs evaporate and the newly unemployed begin to explore their next career move. Given the fact that we're facing a long, cold winter with limited resources, it seems likely that a lot of people will be headed out to the bars.In all likelihood, the next year or so will see a significant change in the bar environment. Instead of cold nightclubs and cocktail palaces with high-priced frothy drinks, there will probably be a spike in neighborhood joints where the beers are generous and the well whiskey is cheap. Still, although per-person bar expenditures will probably drop, the increase in new customers should make bartending a reasonable career choice for the foreseeable future.
At their best, bars are comforting places where one can take shelter from the cold, converse with one's community, strike up conversations with total strangers, and huddle for warmth. While it may be too soon to draw conclusions about where America's communities are headed, it seems reasonable to expect that cocktail-making skills will continue to be in vogue, at least for the next few years.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-25-2008 @ 11:17AM
Gary said...
I had been out of work, off and on, for over a year when I applied for a bartender position. I had never tended bar before and I only knew a handful of cocktails. My previous experience was in retail sales and customer service and I wasn't really thrilled with the idea of working with the public after some rough experiences in sales. Still I needed a job and the company was willing to train me, so I took the position. I was amazed at how much I really enjoyed being a bartender. Everyday I looked forward to coming to work even when I had worked for more than 8 days straight. Being a bartender is just so different than an other type of work. And knowing something about the restaurants, shopping and entertainment venues in the area will help you earn better tips. I found that being a bartender was more than pouring drinks. It's about getting to know your customers on a more personal level. I had a regular customer that I would pour his usual drink, and have it ready for him when he sat down, the moment I saw him enter the bar. Unfortunately, because of going through a divorce, I had to quit my job and move to another area. I had worked in a small town and being in the same area as my ex was not going to work out. Still I loved tending bar and plan on doing it again even on a part time basis.
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